Letters: With Blake Griffin trade, it's the same old Clippers

Doc Rivers promised to take the Clippers to another level. Who could have guessed it would be to the lottery?

Mark S. Roth

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Los Angeles

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I feel like my wife traded my son for three strangers and a homeless person to be named.

Kevin Park

Mission Hills

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Bill Plaschke, with apologies to Jerry West, trading Blake Griffin was a stupid thing to do. You don't trade your best player, a former overall No. 1 draft pick, in order to acquire less talented "starters" and downline draft picks that will not be as good as Griffin. Your endorsement of this inadequately thought-out move is disappointing. Acquiring inferior players does not tilt the trade in the Clippers favor, it just gives you another opportunity to choose the wrong side.

This move reminds me of the geniuses who proposed trading Mike Trout to replenish the Angels' farm system. You maintain a farm system to find Mike Trouts. You don't trade Mike Trouts to build a farm system. Thankfully, the Angels had the good sense to not consult the superior credentialed, acknowledged genius, Lawrence Frank.

You cite an earlier column in which you backed Griffin and now feel you were wrong then, but you're certain that you're right now. I look forward to your future column in which you admit today's mistake.

Ray McKown

Rancho Palos Verdes

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The Clippers have been a franchise that regularly shoots itself in the foot. With the trade of Blake Griffin, they've finally shot themselves in the head. This moronic move was made without any consideration of their fan base, ticket holders and team chemistry. Now we hear that Lou Williams and DeAndre Jordan are also on the block. What was once a feel-good season for the Clippers despite a myriad of injuries has now become another disaster. The Clippers will never get it right.

Charles Reilly

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Manhattan Beach

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The Clippers were universally known as the worst franchise in all of sports until finally they drafted a superstar that wouldn't bolt the first chance he got. Instead, he turned an unbelievably miserable franchise into one of the most exciting in the NBA, encouraging DeAndre Jordan to stay, and many others to come — turning this franchise into a perennial playoff contender. Certainly, their lack of success in the playoffs is horribly frustrating. But trading Blake Griffin, a possible Clippers lifer, an almost certain Hall of Famer, the guy who transformed a horrendous franchise into one worth watching, was a monumental mistake, an asinine move. I guess only the fans remember how awful they were before him.

James Isaacson

San Diego

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I was a Clippers fan. I am no longer. I have no reason to follow a logo or a jersey. If I follow a pro team it's because of the personalities that make up that team, people with whom I develop a vicarious relationship. Griffin, DeAndre and Chris became the Clippers' identity. It is ironic that, reportedly, part of the reason Chris left was because Doc wouldn't trade his son for a chance to add a better player to the team. Once DeAndre is traded, Austin becomes the only identifiable part of the team that remains.

Did the Cubs trade Ernie Banks? Will the Dodgers trade Kershaw for cap space because they didn't win the World Series?

The Clippers now become 12 guys named Joe without the storied history the Lakers have to survive that.

Weston Nathanson

Porter Ranch

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I have heard the Jerry West conspiracy theories — namely that he is trying to sabotage the Clippers. They don't need his help to do that.

David Waldowski

Laguna Woods

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Zeke from Cabin Creek just made the ex-Clippers forward Blake from the Great Lakes .

Richard Katz

Los Angeles

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At least the Clippers had enough class to take a full-page thank-you to Blake Griffin in The Times' sports page. I think Griffin, more than most players, left in all on the court in effort, desire, and hard work, in his play for the Clippers. He is a force, he is talented, and any team in the NBA is lucky to get him.

Chet Chebegia

San Marcos

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Somewhere, Chris Paul is smiling.

Lee Barnathan

Chatsworth

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There has always been only one NBA team in town. Sure, going to a Clippers game used to be a cheap way to see NBA stars, along with Billy Crystal. However, even in good years they could not outdraw lousy Lakers teams or win the TV ratings battle.

When Steve Ballmer bought the franchise did anyone really believe he paid a record $2 billion to own "the other team" and have to cover up Lakers championship banners every game?

Trading Paul and Griffin is only the beginning. My guess is that Ballmer is already negotiating with Seattle officials to move the team there in a few years.

Mike Anderson

Sherman Oaks

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In Blake Griffin's seven-plus years with the Clippers, the team couldn't get past the second round of the playoffs. But never forget, Griffin did dunk over a car.

Ted Brock

San Gabriel

He's goofy

After the Lakers were blown out by Orlando (a team with a .300 winning percentage) Brook Lopez made the following comment, "We definitely have a surplus of talent I think in the frontcourt."

I know Brook is a big Disney fan but I think he is spending too much time in Fantasyland.

Steve Briseno

Mission Viejo

Strike one!

So Kenley Jansen thinks he ought to strike "to be honest with you." That's rich, (no pun Intended) the millionaires striking against the billionaires. Kenley's reality stands somewhere between the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits. Get real, Kenley, if MLB were to sudden go away. ... Oh well, let's talk about real-world problems, yours just don't measure up.

Michael Rubino

San Pedro

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Really, Kenley? I understand standing up for one's colleagues, but calling for a strike after you've signed a contract that pays you $16 million a year makes you seem a bit ungrateful to the owners and especially the fans who support your salary. Calling for a strike is a slap in the face to the fans and creates ill will toward often-overpaid, spoiled players.

Allan Kandel

Los Angeles

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Kenley Jansen says MLB players should think about going on strike because the free agent market is a little slow this off-season. Maybe Dodgers fans should think about going on strike because their $80-million closer blew a two-run lead in Game 2 and cost us the World Series.

Rob Osborne

Manhattan Beach

Standing Pat

Bill Plaschke states in his column about Tom Brady that probably everyone outside of New England wanted the Jacksonville Jaguars to win the AFC championship. Not this girl. I'm a Denver Broncos fan. When my team is not in the playoffs I always root for the Patriots and Tom Brady. Eight Super Bowl appearances in 18 years, this accomplishment is phenomenal. I celebrate greatness.

Where do I send my donation? I realize there is a lull in NFL action between the conference finals and the Super Bowl, but surely there are alternative subjects other than the lack of millionaires among NFL players.

In Gary Klein's article of Jan. 26, two figures stood out: The average salary of NFL players is $2.7 million. And for those first-year players making the minimum of $465,000, that amount seems pretty good for a first job fresh out of college.

I understand the game can be dangerous and injuries long lasting, but if I'm going to lament for anyone connected to the NFL in terms of dollars and cents, it will be for the fans paying to see the games.

Wayne Gallegos

Pasadena

That's not a trip

I am not sure who commits the biggest whopper in the story about the U.S. men's soccer game: Kevin Baxter, when he claims the U.S. "tripped" Sunday night in their embarrassing 0-0 draw with tiny Bosnia, or Will Trapp explaining in that article, "It's a step in the right direction"?

Nobody in attendance that night, and there were arguably more Bosnia fans present, came away with anything else then the United States has hit rock bottom in international soccer.

Karl Heinz Heim

Yorba Linda

Draw this

So both Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin are predicting a victory in their May 5 rematch. If the same Three Blind Mice who judged their first fight do this one too, that very well could happen.

Erik Schuman

Fountain Valley

What's in a name?

The gall of USC. Selling out our Los Angeles Coliseum for $69 million, when that school has an endowment of billions, is a slap in the face of the citizens of this great city. It will never be United Rip-off Airlines Memorial Coliseum. It will always be Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

What's next, charging baggage fees to recoup the money back?

S.R. Fischer

Los Angeles

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While we always thought the L.A. Memorial Coliseum was built mainly for track and field, this renovation project recently written about makes no mention of bringing back that part of the structure. If they are not going to reinstall the track, then where will the 2028 Olympics hold those significant events?

Olga Houlgate

Carlsbad

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United Airlines is taking over naming rights at the Coliseum in 2019? Let's all hope by then we don't see ushers and security personnel pulling and dragging fans out of their seats in case they accidentally sit in the wrong section.

Mark J. Featherstone

Windsor Hills

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